Classroom Management: Old & New

My classroom management plan has changed since the beginning of the school year. Actually, I changed my management plan within the first month of school. Heck, I changed it a few days ago. It's really just a guide.
At the beginning of the year I didn't technically have "rules." I had "expectations." I didn't want to use "rules" because I didn't want my students to feel... I don't know... Oppressed? Burdened? With ruuuuuuuuuullllleeesss.. Well bump that. That's gone. It's as though the word "rule" is the only thing that will get my students to due exactly what I want them to do. Saying "I expect you to be respectful" is CLEARLY not enough. So. Rules they shall be and rules they have become.
One of the procedures that I started off my year with was that I'd make my students line up in two lines if we ever had to go move from the classroom to somewhere else. I've given that up and now allow them to get into one line. I got too many complaints ("why do we have to get into two lines") and it took them too long to get into two lines as opposed to one big glob of students taking up space in the middle of the hallway.
Another rule/procedure I initially put in place was the use of bathroom passes. One student was to receive one pass every term. I was so prepared to go through with this one... I even cut out about 130 keys out of orange paper (each student was going to receive a key with their name on it, which they had to give to me in order to go to the bathroom). But I decided to change that rule at the last minute. I allow students to go to the bathroom when they need to, but they can only go when 1) I say they can, 2) if it's not the beginning or end of class, and 3) if there if there isn't a student already out of the classroom.
The core of my classroom management, however, has stayed the same all year (so far). I give out consequences for inappropriate behavior in class (whether it's towards me or another student) . First offense = a warning; second offense = a copy assignment (the student must copy definitions out of a Spanish/English dictionary and hand in the assignment by the next class meeting). If the student shows up next class without the copy assignment, he or she receives detention. During my detentions, students will have to write a 250-word essay on a specified prompt; if the essay turns out to be less than 250 words, the student will have detention again the following week (I admit, I got the writing assignment idea from a friend). If a student skips detention he or she receives an office referral. And of course, there's always that immediate office referral for that just-way-out-of-line behavior. Having this in place has really helped. Students are good at coming up with excuses for why they shouldn't be punished; with these consequences in place it's just easier for me to handle some of the crazy things that go on in the classroom (which of course is the point of classroom management, so this is a good thing).
Actions that get students a copy assignment: 1)using "bad" words or phrases like "stupid," "shut up" "be quiet" (when it's too harsh), 2) talking out of turn (while I'm talking or another student is talking) 3) any other behavior that a student is engaged in that distracts me from my teaching or my students from their learning. Actions that get students a detention: 1) still doing anything that already got you a copy assignment, 2) curses, 3) eating any food, candy, cough drops (without my approval) or liquids (with the exception of water), and 4) not turning in the copy assignment you owe me.
One last thing I've added to my classroom management is the use of a seating chart. I only have a seating chart for one of my classes right now, but the effect it had on classroom productivity was so great that soon enough all of my classes will have seating charts. When I put the seating chart into place it was as though my students had changed. I could almost swear it...
Overall, my classroom management plan has been a morphing and shifting entity. It begins to go one way, and if I don't like how things have been progressing in my classroom I change it. So far I haven't had any complaints from students that I couldn't deal with in regards to some of these changes. And I'm very thankful for this, since we all know I don't have time to pacify the student in the corner that's upset that she can't chew her gum or he can't drink his Capri Sun. Now I'm not saying that my classroom management is perfect. Oh no no no, it's far from it. But. It's functional for now and at times that's all you can ask for...